Horizontal driving position tracked vehicle

Abstract

Disclosed is a personal tracked vehicle comprising a platform mounted on top of a housing, the platform having central body, front flat members and rear flat members and a central axis. The platform is pivotally mounted to housing along the axis and pivotally movable between a first position and a second position. A pair of parallel right and left tracks is mounted to the housing below the platform, the right track being coupled to a right track drive and the left track being coupled to a left track drive. The track drives are operatively coupled to the platform such that when the platform is pivoted towards its first position, the left track is driven faster and the right track is driven slower, and when the platform is pivoted towards its second position, the right track is driven faster and the left track is driven slower.

1 . A vehicle comprising:
 a housing;   a platform mounted on top of the housing, the platform having central body, at least two front flat members and at least two rear flat members laterally extending from a front side and a rear side of central body, respectively, and a central axis, the platform being pivotally mounted to the housing along the axis and pivotally movable between a first position wherein the right side of the platform is below the left side of the platform and a second position wherein the left side of the platform is below the right side of the platform; and   a pair of parallel right and left tracks mounted to the housing below the platform, the right track being coupled to a right track drive and the left track being coupled to a left track drive, the right and left track drives being operatively coupled to the platform such that when the platform is pivoted towards its first position, the left track is driven faster and the right track is driven slower, and when the platform is pivoted towards its second position, the right track is driven faster and the left track is driven slower, the platform being biased towards a central position wherein the left and right drives operate at the same speed.   
     
     
         2 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the right and left track drives are coupled to a single motor, the motor being mounted to the housing below the platform and between the tracks. 
     
     
         3 . The vehicle of  claim 2 , wherein the platform is mounted on the housing by front and rear support struts, the front and rear support struts being pivotally mounted to the platform along the axis of the platform. 
     
     
         4 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the at least two front flat members are configured at a left corner section and a right corner section of the front side of the central body, the at least two flat members extending laterally from the central body, and the at least two rear flat members are configured at a left corner section and a right corner section of the rear side of the central body, the at least two flat members extending laterally from the central body. 
     
     
         5 . The vehicle of  claim 4 , wherein the forward support strut is mounted to the platform at a point on the platform in between the flat members at the front side and wherein the rearward support strut is mounted to the platform at a point on the platform in between the flat members at the read side. 
     
     
         6 . The vehicle of  claim 2 , wherein right track drive means and the left track drive means each comprise continuously variable transmissions, the continuously variable transmissions being coupled to a differential, the differential selectively operative between a right drive bias wherein the right drive means is driven faster than the left drive means and a left drive bias wherein the left drive means is driven faster than the right drive means, the differential being operatively coupled to the platform such that when the platform is moved towards its first position, the differential is operated towards its left drive bias and when the platform is moved towards its second position, the differential is operated towards its right drive bias. 
     
     
         7 . The vehicle of  claim 6 , wherein the right and left continuously variable transmissions comprise first and second pulleys, respectively, the first and second pulleys having selectively variable diameters, the relative diameters of the first and second pulleys being selected by the differential. 
     
     
         8 . The vehicle of  claim 7 , wherein the first and second pulleys comprise a first and second pair of opposing cones, respectively, the first and second pulleys being coaxially aligned and adjacent to one another such that one cone of each pulley are adjacent, and wherein the differential comprises a member physically coupled to said one cone of each pulley, the differential being selectively movable between a first and second position corresponding to the differential's left and right biases, respectively. 
     
     
         9 . The vehicle of  claim 8 , wherein the member is coupled to the platform by a cable, the cable moving the member between the member's first and second position in response to the movement of the platform between the platform's first and second positions, respectively.